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Raleigh, N.C. — At halftime at the RBC Center, the Virginia Cavaliers lead NC State 38 to 33 at the break.

Sammy Zeglinski and Mike Scott were a two man show for the Cavaliers combining for half of Virginia's points. The Cavaliers shot a blistering 60 percent from the field in the first half.

The Wolfpack coming off their worst loss of the season against North Carolina on Thursday have dominated inside the paint this evening, outrebounding Virginia 19 to 9.

NC State is led in scoring by CJ Leslie's 13 points.

GAME NOTES: Two teams continuing to jockey for position within the ACC meet in Raleigh tonight, as the 19th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers take on the NC State Wolfpack.

Virginia is an impressive 16-3 this season, but the team is just a game over .500 in conference (3-2). The Cavaliers took care of visiting Boston College with relative ease the last time out, 66-49, but they have alternated wins and losses over their last four bouts. Virginia is 4-1 in true road games this season, giving the team some extra confidence heading into this clash.

NC State took on bitter rival North Carolina on Thursday night, and was beaten back in a 74-55 loss in Chapel Hill. As a result, the Wolfpack enter this contest with a 15-6 overall ledger, and they are 4-2 in ACC action. NC State has won 11 of its first 14 home games of the season, and including this matchup, will play five of its final nine regular-season bouts in Raleigh.

NC State owns an 80-57 lead in the all-time series with Virginia, but the Cavs have won six of the last eight meetings.

Virginia's strength is its ability to play shut-down defense, as the team is allowing a paltry 50.1 ppg to rank among the national leaders in that category. Foes are shooting just 38.7 percent from the field overall, and only 26.9 percent from three-point range. The Cavaliers also control the glass (+7.0 rebounding margin), and are +2.3 in turnover differential. From an offensive standpoint, the team boasts one of the league's top performers in Mike Scott, who hits his total shots 58.1 percent of the time, his free throws at an 81.2 percent clip, and he grabs 8.4 rpg for good measure. Joe Harris (12.3 ppg) is the only other double-digit scorer for Virginia, which puts up 64.4 ppg on 45.7 percent field goal efficiency, which includes a 33.3 percent showing from beyond the arc. Scott was high man once again for the Cavaliers in their recent rout of Boston College, going 7-of-11 from the floor in netting 18 points. Akil Mitchell and Jontel Evans chipped in 10 points apiece for coach Tony Bennett's club, which shot 50.9 percent from the field and turned the ball over only eight times.

NC State took it on the chin in its recent matchup with rival North Carolina, as the team shot just 36.8 percent from the field and only 44.4 percent from the foul line. In contrast, the Tar Heels made good on 48.4 percent of their total shots and dominated the glass to the tune of a 48-26 rebounding advantage. The Wolfpack did manage to hit nine three-pointers in the game, but they committed 17 turnovers and were outscored in the paint, 42-20. Scott Wood was the only player to reach double figures for coach Mark Gottfried's squad, as he tallied 11 points even though he went just 4-of-12 from the floor. Wood is one of five double-digit scorers on the roster for NC State, as he leads the team with 13.2 ppg on the strength of his 44.4 percent (56-of-126) effort from beyond the arc. C.J. Leslie (12.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Lorenzo Brown (12.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 7.2 apg), C.J. Williams (11.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and Richard Howell (11.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg) round out the group, which averages 75.9 ppg on 47.2 percent field goal efficiency, which includes 37.0 percent from downtown. The Wolfpack yields 68.6 ppg, and lays claim to a +5.4 rebounding margin.

Neutralize Scott and Virginia can be beat. Sounds simple enough, but it obviously isn't as he is a well-rounded player who can take over a game at a moment's notice. Add the Cavaliers' stingy defensive mind set to the mix and it's no wonder the team is having such a tremendous season. That said, expect the Wolfpack to focus their energy exactly where it needs to be, and for their own core of solid scorers to do just enough to push the team to a hard-fought home victory.

GAME NOTES: Two teams continuing to jockey for position within the ACC meet in Raleigh tonight, as the 19th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers take on the NC State Wolfpack.

unc70Jan 28, 2012

The last two years, the State fans were so down on Lowe it almost encouraged and often rewarded bad behavior among some players. If Sidney couldn't coach, then players had a great excuse - they were not to blame. Why should they listen to him, his days were numbered.

For all the talk by many State fans, but not you, I have not seen a huge difference between last year and this. Last year, we watched Sidney draw up a play, then saw 1-2 players off doing something else.

This year you still have players looking detached, surly, resentful, smug. My HS coach would have had several of these guys riding the bench. More and more I think Scott Wood is a major part of the attitude problem on this team. He reminds me of the HS player who thinks he is better than he really is, but worse, thinks he is immune to criticism because his dad is on the local school board.

tarheelbowmanJan 28, 2012

THE WOLFPACK CALLED A TIMEOUT WITH ABOUT 10 SECONDS TO GO IN THE GAME. THEY HAD TO SETTLE FOR A DESPERATION,FALL AWAY SHOT THAT NEVER HAD A CHANCE. IS THAT WHAT THE COACH DREW UP IN THE TIMEOUT? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IT! THE WOLFPACK CLEARLY HAD THEIR WAY INSIDE ALL NIGHT SO WHY NOT FORCE THE BALL INSIDE TO WHOMEVER AND EITHER GET A GOOD LOOK,GET FOULED OR BOTH. I MEAN COME ON GUYS THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE! THE WOLFPACK CERTAINLY LET ONE GET AWAY TONIGHT. WHEN MY HEELS COME TO TOWN THE WOLFIES WILL PLAY THEIR BEST GAME OF THE YEAR! GO FIGURE?

tommybrownncJan 28, 2012

View quoted thread

Should have let Broughton play, probably could have done better

— Posted by americaneel

Yeah, they would have beaten State by 2.

dsalterJan 28, 2012

Congrats to Virginia. Good game State.

americaneelJan 28, 2012

Should have let Broughton play, probably could have done better

tommybrownncJan 28, 2012

View quoted thread

I'm with you Tommy.

Nearly all of State's fouls were well-deserved, many were stupid fouls. Howell's reach arounds, Leslie's power "clear out". State won rebounds 40-20, TOs 10-5, and still lost. Why? Because several of your players forget what a team is between the bench and mid-court. Very little has changed since last year, not sure it will with these specific players. Frustrating for State fans, Gott, and Sidney. Even for many of the rest of us.

No passing game, no screens, no point guard, no assists.

— Posted by unc70

I'm beginning to wander if it's like football, where you need to weed out the old coach's players/behaviors, before you can succeed with the new staff. Tonight's game frustrated me badly. Scott Wood's lack of participation mostly.

jam3Jan 28, 2012

State's lack of depth is killing them. Thanks again Sid. These 5 guys can't make it through an entire ACC season playing this many minutes. Painter is good sometimes and Johnson seems to hurt more than he helps. Wood nor Williams is tough enough on defense. Zeglinski is not that hard to keep up with! It all comes down to heart. Howell played with his tonight, but 3 - 7 free throws? What was Brown doing on the last play? Go to the basket!

SneakinUpOnUJan 28, 2012

.... And the slide down the ACC rankings begins ... Bye red Ragers ... Hope you enjoyed the limelight for a few days .. Back to the place you belong ...

americaneelJan 28, 2012

I heard State has good wrestling and baseball teams

unc70Jan 28, 2012

View quoted thread

For God's sake, don't blame the refs. Look at the stats. Virginia shot great and we couldn't hit FT's.

Oh yeah. Scott Wood.

— Posted by tommybrownnc

I'm with you Tommy.

Nearly all of State's fouls were well-deserved, many were stupid fouls. Howell's reach arounds, Leslie's power &quot;clear out&quot;. State won rebounds 40-20, TOs 10-5, and still lost. Why? Because several of your players forget what a team is between the bench and mid-court. Very little has changed since last year, not sure it will with these specific players. Frustrating for State fans, Gott, and Sidney. Even for many of the rest of us.